Status and Issues Pertaining to the Proposed Development of the Space Telescope Project

Gao ID: PSAD-77-98 May 4, 1977

The Space Telescope Project will develop a complex space observatory with the objectives of serving the scientific community and extending knowledge of the universe. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) estimates for Project costs have increased because of inflation factors and inclusion of changes in scope and administrative costs.

NASA has not prepared a lifecycle cost estimate for the telescope. In addition to excluded development costs of $227.2 million, operation costs of $709.4 million should be included in estimates, which would bring the lifecycle cost to about $1.4 billion. Technical uncertainties still remaining deal with component development, stabilization control, contamination effects, thermal control, and testing limitations. International cooperation has not been formally achieved, but negotiations are in the final stages. NASA is planning an institute to manage observation programs during the operational phase.

Recommendations

Our recommendations from this work are listed below with a Contact for more information. Status will change from "In process" to "Open," "Closed - implemented," or "Closed - not implemented" based on our follow up work.

Director: No director on record Team: No team on record Phone: No phone on record


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